I've pared down my touring kit to an ultralight collection of bubble-gum wrappers, marbles, and scotch tape. I'm unsure about it's exact weight but it's quiet light. I'd like to take a trip using only a set of front panniers mounted to a Tubus rack and my trusty granny basket front-mounted to a mini rack. I'm afraid to make the full commitment without running the idea past the wise folks here first, however. My heavier items would be stored in the panniers while my lighter items would end up in the granny basket.

I'm concerned about screwing up the weight distribution. Here's my logic/questions, so far:
Does the majority of a rider's weight primarily effect the rear end of the bike?;
Would proactively avoiding adding to that weight on the rear, and instead opting to 'distrubute' any additional weight to the front end be a sound approach to riding a touring bike?

I'm not suggesting that I plan to carry an anvil up front, but I am toying with the idea of carrying all of my modestly weighted jibber-jabber there.

Thanks!

Do a test ride and find out.

That's the way I'd pack for mtn bike tours in the days before it was called "bikepacking." It wasn't so much about weight distribution as it was the fact that a bike with rear panniers is a real pain to push. Over the course of several rides I came to prefer having weight up front (at least when I wasn't pushing.) It makes the bike track like it's on rails.

Interesting point. I hadn't consider that but having done some pushing with rear panniers fitted I can see the advantage. I plan do some bikepacking but with front panniers and a trailer .. will be interesting to see how the pushing goes

Andrew

Definitely try it out. There are so many variables, it's impossible to predict how your bike would handle. If the load is light enough to fit in two panniers, it probably doesn't really matter much where you put it.

I just finished a tour with only two lightly loaded panniers which I mounted on a rear rack and I barely noticed the difference between loaded and unloaded, as far as handling goes. I could ride no-handed at single-digit speeds, just like without the load. I'd only notice the weight on a steep climb.

Try riding in a stiff crosswind before making your final decision. I met a guy who was ditching his front panniers in Montana because of a perceived handling issue.

Quote:

Originally Posted by andrewclaus

Try riding in a stiff crosswind before making your final decision. I met a guy who was ditching his front panniers in Montana because of a perceived handling issue.

Awesome ... thanks. I had not thought about potential crosswind issues and I'll definately be keeping it in mind.

I cannot admit to even having toured with front panniers before. My setup has always been a couple panniers on the rear and a granny basket up front. I understand why some would think of the granny basket as clumsy version of a handlebar bag, but I've come to like it because it's an easy to use catch-all for a variety of lightweight trinkets and poofy things. I doubt the basket ever weighs in at over 3 to 5 pounds when full. It's up high -- perhaps unfavorably high -- and I'm sure that doesn't help with the crosswinds, headwinds, or even tailwinds. I'm sort of left wondering if any of the issues that my basket might have with the winds could be mitigated by adding the front panniers (a totally different topic, in any event).

Another issue caused by my front-pannier only approach would be teaching myself to be patient enough to fasten a strap from the wheel to the frame every time I'm stopped in order to prevent the inevitable 'flop' that would occur were it without.

I try to put more weight in the front than in the back. It definitely changes the handling, but not in a bag way. On my last trip, after about a week of riding around with four panniers or two front panniers, I took a ride with no panniers and my Trucker suddenly felt squirrelly as hell. Took me 5 or 10 miles to readjust to my lighter front end. I put plenty of my personal weight on the back, so moving more weight up front makes it smoother for me. And, as long as you still have a rear rack, you've got nothing to lose. Don't like them up front? Just move them.

I haven't pared my gear down to two panniers yet, but I did get to two panniers and the top of my rear rack. I decided to switch back to four panniers. Partly because I want to carry cold food on my next trip, and that was going to take another pannier for the cooler, but also because with four panniers I can keep my front and rear rack platforms free for random items I might pick up or things I might want to temporarily pull out of the panniers and have access to.

I try to keep the weight distribution 60 rear/40 front centered over the axles. Otherwise, the bike handles differently. Not necessarily unstable, but not what I'm used to.

I'm using front panniers on my daily commuter, the load stabilizes the small wheel,
low trail front end [bike friday] and the low trail makes the bike handle fine with the load.

I've done fast-and-light weekend camping trips on my Cross-Check using only front panniers. My panniers are high mounted on an old Jim Blackburn (from the '70's). The bike handles great.

I have an OMM Sherpa front rack on my MB-2, which is my "bikepacking" bike. I also have a smallish-to-medium sized saddlebag. No rear rack. All my tools and dense, small objects go in the saddlebag, and my food, clothes, and UL tent/pad/sleeping bag go up front in my Carradice Super Cs. It's been a great rig, but I've used it only on 1-2 night trips in the hills around here. Mostly on trail. It's definitely a bit more "twitchy" when it's loaded but nothing you won't get used to. If you're using a Tubus lowrider it should be less noticeable.

I've done shorter tours with only front and only rear. I much prefer dual front. Front only fails in two situations, overload and long twisty drops on unpaved roads. Your overload point is easy to figure out, just test.

If I was travelling with only two panniers - they'd be on the front. Next choice - front panniers, handlebar bag and rear top rack bag. Third choice - front and rear panniers, handlebar bag and rear top rack bag. Absolute last choice - rear panniers only.

My touring on and off pavement has been with front panniers only and a dry bag stuffer on top of the rear rack for the last 25 years. Many of the advantages have already been stated including ease of pushing with this set-up. I have never found crosswinds to be a big problem. I was only tempted to move the panniers to the rear rack once during sustained 40+MPH headwinds.

My front panniers are mounted high on a Bruce Gordon Mtn. Rack which places the panniers partially behind the steering axis which I find very effective in stabilizing steering even on single track and trails. I too keep the equipment weight minimal but functional. I have been quite happy with the arrangement and have seen nothing that would make ne want to change now.

Had to run front panniers for about 600kms once for rear tire issues, it was not hard to adjust to this, I think you quickly adapt to many of the different weight distributions.

A few differences:
- decreased traction in rear since climbing with less weight there
- can be easier to go over the bars on descents if terrain lends itself to that
- low riders dont give as much clearance as if panniers were in rear

70% of my weight goes in front,no matter how many panniers......Unless it's winter or I'm going somewhere for awhile or I'm going to the middle of the desert in the summer,I don't run rear panniers.....There's enough weight back there already......

The problem is when you're climbing on steep stuff - you're more obligated to keep your bottom down with the augmented total system weight (panniers in front), and sometimes that's not so nice for many reasons. If someone's on pavement, it's a moot point until 15%+ and slightly damp.